Comic Book Guy: Super-TV

*Spoiler*

This past Friday in the US of A, Smallville came to the climax of its ten season run with less of a crescendo and more of a whimper, as fans whooped and booed in equal measure. Disappointing some viewers with its absence of star Tom Welling-visibility in the fabled red underpants (instead opting to do his final show down in a waistcoat), the shows finale still leaves a void for the next super-TV extravaganza.

 

So it was unfortunate news that US station NBC stated they would not be picking up the heavily leaked Wonder Woman pilot starring Jamie Alexander. Written by David E. Kelley, who is responsible for prime-time gold such as Ally McBeal and Boston Legal, the show featured a contemporary version of Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman. Ultimately Robert Greenblatt - chairman of NBC Entertainment - simply stated recently: “it just didn’t seem to fit in with what we were doing.”

Possibly a victim of fan outrage at the re-envisioning of the Amazon's famous costume into something more akin to a fancy dress shop, this was one pilot doomed before it ever began. It joins a list of shame for cancelled super-shows that include Heroes, The Cape and No Ordinary Family, prompting the question: where will the next hit come from?

Yes, the Walking Dead was a smash hit for AMC, but that lies firmly within the horror genre. So with Powers, Hulk and Jessica Jones all in development, just which production will provide the next Smallville? Even the UK’s own Misfits is destined to return in its third season minus its most popular character, Nathan. So there may be a rabid audience for super-shows, but it will never be a mass market; shows will get made, but never watched. Something of a catch 22.